Jesse Harasta

Diferentes ramifica es da mesma religi o constituem mais uma exce o do que uma regra e tiveram um impacto profundo na hist ria. O cisma entre as Igrejas Ortodoxa e Cat lica influenciou as rela es entre na es por toda a Europa e, a intoler ncia religiosa baseada em diferentes f s crist s levou a persegui es e total viol ncia por todo o continente durante s culos. A Reforma Protestante separou ainda mais o Cristianismo e os resultados culminaram na incrivelmente destrutiva Guerra dos Trinta Anos no s culo XVII. Atualmente, a separa o religiosa mais importante entre Sunitas e Xiitas no seio do Isl o. Contrariamente a outras divis es de f - entre Judeus Conservadores e Ortodoxos ou Crist os Cat licos e Protestantes -, a separa o entre os Sunitas e Xiitas tem existido ao longo quase da pr pria f e, rapidamente emergiu de tens es criadas por crises pol ticas ap s a morte do profeta Maom . De certo modo, as diferentes formas do Isl o que existem agora, surgiram essencialmente de fa es pol ticas no seio da unidade de crentes mu ulmanos. Ao longo de muitos s culos, os Crist os t m praticamente conseguido viver ao lado dos seus correligiosos, mas a separa o entre Sunitas e Xiitas ainda t o pronunciada que muitos aderentes de cada ramifica o veem-se mutuamente com desprezo, se n o como ap statas ou n o crentes. A divis o religiosa por ventura a mais importante descontinuidade no turbulento M dio Oriente de hoje, com na es Sunitas como o Egito e Ar bia Saudita em desacordo com na es Xiitas como o Ir o. A n veis mais baixos, grupos n o-estatais como o Estado Isl mico e o Hezbollah est o a combaterem entre si de uma forma que atravessa fronteiras estatais, em lugares como o L bano, o Iraque e a S ria. Apesar de ser tecnicamente uma separa o na religi o, a divis o tem tido ramifica es substanciais e globais por d cadas e parece que n o h um fim vista. A Hist ria da Separa o entre Sunitas e Xiitas tra a as origens da separa o e os hist ricos esfor os da maior divis o no seio do Isl o. Juntamente com imagens de pessoas importantes, lugares e eventos, o leitor ir aprender acerca da hist ria dos Sunitas e Xiitas como nunca dantes, em muito pouco tempo.

*Includes pictures *Includes Spanish accounts of the Aztec's human sacrifices *Includes footnotes and a bibliography for further reading "They strike open the wretched Indian's chest with flint knives and hastily tear out the palpitating heart which, with the blood, they present to the idols... They cut off the arms, thighs and head, eating the arms and thighs at ceremonial banquets. The head they hang up on a beam, and the body is...given to the beasts of prey." - Bernal Diaz, a Spaniard who described the Aztec's human sacrifice From the moment Spanish conquistador Hernan Cort s first found and confronted them, the Aztecs have fascinated the world, and they continue to hold a unique place both culturally and in pop culture. Nearly 500 years after the Spanish conquered their mighty empire, the Aztecs are often remembered today for their major capital, Tenochtitlan, as well as being fierce conquerors of the Valley of Mexico who often engaged in human sacrifice rituals. Ironically, and unlike the Mayans, the Aztecs are not widely viewed or remembered with nuance, in part because their own leader burned extant Aztec writings and rewrote a mythologized history explaining his empire's dominance less than a century before the Spanish arrived. While the Mayans are remembered for their astronomy, numeral system, and calendar, the Aztecs have primarily been remembered in a far narrower way, despite continuing to be a source of pride to Mexicans through the centuries. As a result, even though the Aztecs continue to interest people across the world centuries after their demise, it has fallen on archaeologists and historians to try to determine the actual history, culture, and lives of the Aztecs from the beginning to the end, relying on excavations, primary accounts, and more. That said, more is known about Aztec religious practices than any other aspect of their culture, mostly because the major element in the public ceremonies was focused on human sacrifice. The rituals were apparently so gruesome that they horrified even the Spanish, who were not exactly known for their gentility when it came to war and religious fervor. A Spaniard named Bernal Diaz described what happened at one religious ceremony: "They have a most horrid and abominable custom which truly ought to be punished and which until now we have seen in no other part, and this is that, whenever they wish to ask something of the idols, in order that their plea may find more acceptance, they take many girls and boys and even adults, and in the presence of these idols they open their chests while they are still alive and take out their hearts and entrails and burn them before the idols, offering the smoke as sacrifice. Some of us have seen this, and they say it is the most terrible and frightful thing they have ever witnessed." Naturally, Cort s and other Spaniards depicted the Aztecs as savages greatly in need of conversion to Catholicism. The Spanish used the Aztec's religious practices as a justification for Cort s' conquest, but even though the Spanish attempted to burn as much as they could, plenty of information about Aztec mythology also survived. The Mythology and Religion of the Aztec examines the history and legacy of the religion practiced by the famous Mesoamerican empire. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about Aztec religion and mythology like you never have before, in no time at all.

Diferentes ramifica es da mesma religi o constituem mais uma exce o do que uma regra e tiveram um impacto profundo na hist ria. O cisma entre as Igrejas Ortodoxa e Cat lica influenciou as rela es entre na es por toda a Europa e, a intoler ncia religiosa baseada em diferentes f s crist s levou a persegui es e total viol ncia por todo o continente durante s culos. A Reforma Protestante separou ainda mais o Cristianismo e os resultados culminaram na incrivelmente destrutiva Guerra dos Trinta Anos no s culo XVII. Atualmente, a separa o religiosa mais importante entre Sunitas e Xiitas no seio do Isl o. Contrariamente a outras divis es de f - entre Judeus Conservadores e Ortodoxos ou Crist os Cat licos e Protestantes -, a separa o entre os Sunitas e Xiitas tem existido ao longo quase da pr pria f e, rapidamente emergiu de tens es criadas por crises pol ticas ap s a morte do profeta Maom . De certo modo, as diferentes formas do Isl o que existem agora, surgiram essencialmente de fa es pol ticas no seio da unidade de crentes mu ulmanos. Ao longo de muitos s culos, os Crist os t m praticamente conseguido viver ao lado dos seus correligiosos, mas a separa o entre Sunitas e Xiitas ainda t o pronunciada que muitos aderentes de cada ramifica o veem-se mutuamente com desprezo, se n o como ap statas ou n o crentes. A divis o religiosa por ventura a mais importante descontinuidade no turbulento M dio Oriente de hoje, com na es Sunitas como o Egito e Ar bia Saudita em desacordo com na es Xiitas como o Ir o. A n veis mais baixos, grupos n o-estatais como o Estado Isl mico e o Hezbollah est o a combaterem entre si de uma forma que atravessa fronteiras estatais, em lugares como o L bano, o Iraque e a S ria. Apesar de ser tecnicamente uma separa o na religi o, a divis o tem tido ramifica es substanciais e globais por d cadas e parece que n o h um fim vista. A Hist ria da Separa o entre Sunitas e Xiitas tra a as origens da separa o e os hist ricos esfor os da maior divis o no seio do Isl o. Juntamente com imagens de pessoas importantes, lugares e eventos, o leitor ir aprender acerca da hist ria dos Sunitas e Xiitas como nunca dantes, em muito pouco tempo.

*Includes pictures of important places and historic art depicting Athena and other Greek gods and goddesses. *Explains the historical origins of the goddess and the mythological tales about her. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "I begin to sing of Pallas Athene, the glorious goddess, bright-eyed, inventive, unbending of heart, pure virgin, saviour of cities, courageous, Tritogeneia. From his awful head wise Zeus himself bare her arrayed in warlike arms of flashing gold, and awe seized all the gods as they gazed. But Athena sprang quickly from the immortal head and stood before Zeus who holds the aegis, shaking a sharp spear: great Olympus began to reel horribly at the might of the bright-eyed goddess, and earth round about cried fearfully, and the sea was moved and tossed with dark waves, while foam burst forth suddenly..." - "The Hymn To Athena", attributed to Homer For the ancient Greeks, there were few divine beings more important, and more generous, to humanity than the goddess Athena, who was also called "Pallas," "Pallas Athena" and (to the Romans) "Minerva." The daughter of Zeus, Athena was famous as a virgin warrior woman who was born from her father's skull bearing a helmet, shield and spear, but she was far more than simply a warrior goddess. She was at heart the patronage of civilization and all of the arts that made advanced human society possible. She was the mistress of weaving, navigation, craftsmanship, and she gave her patronage to defensive wars, wise laws, and the "city" itself. Since the city-state, known as a "Polis" by the Greeks, was the center of Ancient Greek life, law and politics, this made her all the more important as a deity, especially since she lent her name to one of the most famous of them all: Athens. The pervasive nature of her influence in the Greeks' everyday life has ensured that Athena remains one of the most instantly recognizable goddesses. She is mentioned in diverse works like Hesiod's Theogony, Homer's Iliad and Odyssey and several of Plato's philosophical texts. These works shine light on what contemporary Greeks said about their goddess and how they understood the relationship she had with humanity. At the same time, there were temples, festivals, and everyday forms of worship that the Greeks dedicated to her. What did the worship of this goddess provide for her worshipers? How did belief in her existence fulfill their spiritual needs? How was she different from other members of the Greek pantheon? This book explores the figure of Athena, including her origins, the stories told about her, the way she was worshiped and how she is remembered today. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about the Greek goddess like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures of the sites and depictions of important people and events. *Explains the history of the sites and the theories about their purpose. *Describes the layout of the ancient cities, their important structures, and the theories about the buildings' uses. *Includes footnotes and bibliographies for further reading. Chichen Itza was inhabited for hundreds of years and was a very influential center in the later years of Maya civilization. At its height, Chichen Itza may have had over 30,000 inhabitants, and with a spectacular pyramid, enormous ball court, observatory and several temples, the builders of this city exceeded even those at Uxmal in developing the use of columns and exterior relief decoration. Of particular interest at Chichen Itza is the sacred cenote, a sinkhole was a focus for Maya rituals around water. Because adequate supplies of water, which rarely collected on the surface of the limestone based Yucatan, were essential for adequate agricultural production, the Maya here considered it of primary importance. Underwater archaeology carried out in the cenote at Chichen Itza revealed that offerings to the Maya rain deity Chaac (which may have included people) were tossed into the sinkhole. Why Maya cities were abandoned and left to be overgrown by the jungle is a puzzle that intrigues people around the world today, especially those who have a penchant for speculating on lost civilizations. In 1911, American historian Hiram Bingham publicized the finding of what at the time was considered a "lost city" of the Inca. Though local inhabitants had known about it for century, Bingham documented and photographed the ruins of a 15th century settlement nestled along a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, placed so perfectly from a defensive standpoint that it's believed the Spanish never conquered it and may have never known about it. Today, of course, Machu Picchu is one of South America's best tourist spots, and the ruins have even been voted one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. But even though Machu Picchu is now the best known of all Incan ruins, its function in Incan civilization is still not clear. Some have speculated that it was an outpost or a frontier citadel, while others believe it to be a sanctuary or a work center for women. Still others suggest that it was a ceremonial center or perhaps even the last refuge of the Incas after the Spanish conquest. One of the most theories to take hold is that Machu Picchu was the summer dwelling of the Inca's royal court, the Inca's version of Versailles. As was the case with the renaming of Mayan and Aztec ruins, the names given to various structures by archaeologists are purely imaginary and thus not very helpful; for example, the mausoleum, palace or watchtower at Machu Picchu may have been nothing of the sort. Mexico City is now easily the largest city in the Western Hemisphere, trailing only Tokyo internationally, but unlike the other great cities of the Americas, Mexico City is not a new place. Mexico City instead has much in common with cities like London, Delhi or Cairo in the East in that it is an ancient city dating back centuries before the arrival of Columbus in Hispaniola. For, while much (including the name) has changed, Mexico City is the mighty Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire and the great American metropolis of the Spanish Empire. There has been no break in occupation, and despite much devastation in the Conquest, the city was never fully destroyed. What the conquistadores encountered in Tenochtitlan was entirely unexpected: one of the world's greatest cities, teeming with over 200,000 people, built on an island on a lake and connected to the shore by a number of long, broad stone causeways. On the water itself were remarkable floating gardens, on surrounding shorelines were sprawling suburbs, and behind them was a dramatic wall of mountain peaks.

En 1911, el historiador estadounidense Hiram Bingham public el hallazgo de lo que en aquel momento era considerado una "ciudad perdida" inca. Aunque los habitantes locales ya la conoc an desde hac a un siglo, Bingham document y fotografi las ruinas de un asentamiento del siglo XV establecido a lo largo de una cresta monta osa sobre el valle de Urubamba en Per , colocado tan perfectamente desde un punto de vista defensivo que se cree que los espa oles nunca lo conquistaron y puede que nunca lo conocieran. Hoy en d a, por supuesto, Machu Picchu es uno de los mejores puntos tur sticos de Am rica del Sur, y las ruinas han sido incluso votadas como una de las Siete Nuevas Maravillas del Mundo. Pero a pesar de que Machu Picchu es ahora la m s conocida de todas las ruinas incas, su funci n en la civilizaci n inca a n no est clara. Algunos han especulado que era un puesto de avanzada o una ciudadela fronteriza, mientras que otros creen que es un santuario o un centro de trabajo para las mujeres. Otros sugieren que era un centro ceremonial o tal vez el ltimo refugio de los incas despu s de la conquista espa ola. Una de las teor as a tener en cuenta es que Machu Picchu era la vivienda de verano de la corte real de los incas, la versi n inca de Versalles. Como sucedi con el cambio de nombre de las ruinas mayas y aztecas, los nombres dados a diversas estructuras por los arque logos son puramente imaginarios y por lo tanto no muy tiles; por ejemplo, el mausoleo, el palacio o la torre de vigilancia en Machu Picchu puede que no hubieran sido nada de eso. Lo que est claro en Machu Picchu es que el plan urbano y las t cnicas de construcci n empleadas segu an a los de otros asentamientos incas, particularmente la capital de Cuzco. La ubicaci n de las plazas y el uso inteligente de las irregularidades de la tierra, junto con la est tica muy desarrollada involucrada en el trabajo de mamposter a, sigui el modelo de la capital inca. En Machu Picchu, la t pica t cnica inca de ensamblar meticulosamente la siller a y crear muros de bloques sin un material aglutinante es sorprendente. A veces los bloques son cuadrados uniformemente y algunas veces son de forma variable. En este ltimo caso, la conexi n muy estrecha entre los bloques de piedra parece bastante notable. A n m s asombroso que el corte de piedra preciso de los incas es el m todo que utilizaron para el transporte y movimiento de estos bloques enormes. Los incas no ten an la rueda, as que todo el trabajo se realiz usando rodillos y palancas. Machu Picchu: la historia y el misterio de la ciudad inca cubre de manera integral la historia de la ciudad, as como la especulaci n sobre el prop sito de Machu Picchu y el debate sobre los edificios. Junto con im genes y una bibliograf a, aprender s sobre Machu Picchu como nunca antes, en nada de tiempo.

Diferentes ramas de la misma religi n son la excepci n m s que la regla, y han tenido un profundo impacto en la historia. El cisma entre las iglesias ortodoxa y cat lica influy en las relaciones entre las naciones de toda Europa, y la intolerancia religiosa basada en diferentes creencias cristianas llev a la persecuci n y la violencia por todo el continente durante siglos. La Reforma Protestante dividi el cristianismo a n m s, y los resultados culminaron en la incre blemente destructiva Guerra de los Treinta A os en el siglo XVII. Hoy, la divisi n religiosa m s importante es entre los sunitas y los chi es (chi tas) dentro del Islam. A diferencia de las divisiones en otras religiones (entre jud os conservadores y ortodoxos o cat licos y cristianos protestantes) la divisi n entre los sunitas y los chi es ha existido desde hace tanto como la propia fe, y surgi r pidamente de las tensiones creadas por la crisis pol tica despu s de la muerte del Profeta Mahoma. En cierto sentido, lo que ahora son dos formas diferentes de Islam inicialmente comenz como facciones pol ticas dentro del cuerpo unificado de creyentes musulmanes. En los ltimos siglos, los cristianos han sido en su mayor a capaces de vivir junto a sus correligionarios, pero la divisi n entre los sunitas y los chi es es todav a tan pronunciada que muchos adherentes de cada rama se ven con desd n o incluso como ap statas o no creyentes La divisi n religiosa es quiz s la l nea de falla m s importante en el turbulento Medio Oriente de hoy, con naciones sunitas como Egipto y Arabia Saudita en desacuerdo con naciones chi es como Ir n. En niveles inferiores, grupos no estatales como el Estado Isl mico y Hezbollah est n luchando entre s en formas que cruzan l neas estatales en lugares como L bano, Irak y Siria. Aunque t cnicamente es una divisi n en la religi n, la divisi n ha tenido ramificaciones globales sustanciales durante d cadas, y parece que no hay fin a la vista. La historia de la divisi n sun y chi traza los or genes de la divisi n y los efectos hist ricos de la divisi n principal dentro del Islam. Junto con fotos de personas importantes, lugares y eventos, aprender s sobre la historia de los sunitas y chi es como nunca antes, en muy poco tiempo.

*Includes pictures *Describes the history and archaeology at each site *Includes a bibliography for further reading Many ancient civilizations have influenced and inspired people in the 21st century, like the Greeks and the Romans, but of all the world's civilizations, none have intrigued people more than the Mayans, whose culture, astronomy, language, and mysterious disappearance all continue to captivate people. At the heart of the fascination is the most visited and the most spectacular of Late Classic Maya cities: Chich n Itz . Chich n Itz was inhabited for hundreds of years and was a very influential center in the later years of Maya civilization. At its height, Chich n Itz may have had over 30,000 inhabitants, and with a spectacular pyramid, enormous ball court, observatory and several temples, the builders of this city exceeded even those at Uxmal in developing the use of columns and exterior relief decoration. Of particular interest at Chich n Itz is the sacred cenote, a sinkhole was a focus for Maya rituals around water. Because adequate supplies of water, which rarely collected on the surface of the limestone based Yucatan, were essential for adequate agricultural production, the Maya here considered it of primary importance. Underwater archaeology carried out in the cenote at Chich n Itz revealed that offerings to the Maya rain deity Chaac (which may have included people) were tossed into the sinkhole. Early Mayap n was closely connected to the overshadowing power of the region at the time: the mighty trading city of Chich n Itz . Mayap n emerged first as a minor settlement in the orbit of Chich n, but it slowly came to replace it after the larger city's trade connections with the Toltecs of Tula crumbled and it suffered a staggering defeat by Mayap n's armies. The building styles and art in their city show both admiring references to the great Chich n Itz as well as an attempt to position Mayap n as a more orthodox heir of Maya tradition. At the same time, they emulated many features and could not escape the tremendous influences - especially in religion - of Chich n. This is seen in the fact that many of the most important buildings in the new city appear to be small-scale reproductions of ones in Chich n. The Maya maintained power in the Yucatan for over a thousand years, and at the height of its "Classical era" (3rd-9th centuries CE), the city of Tikal was one of the power centers of the empire. Archaeologists believe Tikal had been built as early as the 5th or 4th century BC, and eventually it became a political, economic and military capital that was an important part of a far-flung network across Mesoamerica, despite the fact it was seemingly conquered by Teotihuacan in the 4th century CE. It seems the foreign rulers came to assimilate Mayan culture, thus ensuring Tikal would continue to be a power base, and as a result, the city would not be abandoned until about the 10th century CE. During the Maya's Classical era, the city of Uxmal was one of its most noteworthy places. While it was not as powerful as cities like Tikal, Uxmal was apparently at the forefront of Mayan culture, particularly when it came to architecture. However, while Uxmal used high ground to display its prominence, and the ruins are still among the most popular places for tourists in the region, the site is still shrouded in mystery. Even as scholars continue to work on the site to further interpret it, it's still unclear when exactly Uxmal was founded, how many people called it home, and when it was abandoned, despite the existence of Mayan chronicles and oral legends. What is apparent, however, is the skills of Uxmal's artisans, whether through constructing structures like the five-level Pyramid of Magicians and the expansive Governor's Palace or adorning the structures with precisely detailed art and sculptures. In fact, the craftsmanship can be credited with helping to preserve Uxmal itself.

*Includes pictures *Includes a table of contents King Arthur is one of the most famous names in history, and his name still evokes visions of fantasy, chivalry, bravery, and more even today. Arthur remains a pop culture fixture around the globe, made famous in various Arthurian tales written by writers like Chretien de Troyes. Arthur came to embody the ideals of the Middle Ages: strength, chivalry, bravery, and more. Along the way, his Excalibur sword, the Holy Grail, his queen, and more have all become household words. Arthur has long been identified as a folk hero, and there are countless tales that comprise the Arthurian legend, but was there an actual person that the original stories were based on? People still search for the seeds of truth in the Knights of the Round Table, and the historical figure that inspired the Arthurian tales. Of course, as with all great myths, and even those with a kernel of truth behind them, there is no "real" Arthur. Arthur is now comprised of the works written by diverse storytellers, most of which have built upon the ancient stories and possibly history. It is from there that a primordial seed of myth remains at the heart of all the retellings. At the same time, Arthur's story is one of transformation, as he is brought from the Middle Ages into the Renaissance and more modern times. And that story also includes the famous contemporaries in his stories and other important historical figures, like Geoffrey of Monmouth, the imprisoned Sir Thomas Mallory and Walt Disney. When looking for the historical and mythical Arthur, scholars try to understand how the Arthur of these tales and of others like Disney's Sword in the Stone and Monty Python and the Holy Grail came to be. What are the origins of the Arthur legend and what can they tell people about the past? What is the historical basis for King Arthur, if any? There are few characters in the English language more iconic than Robin Hood. Emerging out of the ballads of the High Middle Ages and surviving through numerous permutations to the present day, the green-clad archer has become an icon. Today he represents a playful, irreverent and cunning resistance to corruption and injustice, associated primarily with stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Robin Hood's selfless acts of helping the masses at the expense of himself (by not keeping his treasure) have led to contemporary figures like Bill Gates being called "Modern Day Robin Hoods", and when a British man robbed a bank in 2013 and handed out the money to homeless people before he was arrested and imprisoned, the name Robin Hood was naturally in the news once more. Robin Hood is a celebrated folk hero and a kind of good thief, but the earliest stories about Robin Hood depict a far different character. The first Robin Hood was often a brutal and selfish yet also honorable figure, an anti-hero loved (perhaps paradoxically) by many social classes and loathed by authorities. When the notorious Gunpowder Plot was discovered at the beginning of the 17th century, the Earl of Salisbury condemned Guy Fawkes and the conspirators for being "Robin Hoods". The transformation of Robin Hood over the centuries has left many scholars attempting to find the origins behind the original story. Like King Arthur, some have even sought a historical figure that might serve as the basis for Robin Hood, while others have sought out mythological origins to see if Robin Hood's character evolved out of a mythological figure. When looking for the historical and mythical figure, scholars try to understand how the Robin Hood of these tales and came to be. What are the origins of Robin Hood and what can they tell people about the past? What is the historical basis for Robin Hood, if any?

*Includes pictures *Details the history, climate, and geography of the region and the culture of its indigenous peoples *Includes footnotes, online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "Have you heard of the illness hysteria siberiana? Try to imagine this: You're a farmer, living all alone on the Siberian tundra. Day after day you plow your fields. As far as the eye can see, nothing. To the north, the horizon, to the east, the horizon, to the south, to the west, more of the same. Every morning, when the sun rises in the east, you go out to work in your fields. When it's directly overhead, you take a break for lunch. When it sinks in the west, you go home to sleep. And then one day, something inside you dies. Day after day you watch the sun rise in the east, pass across the sky, then sink in the west, and something breaks inside you and dies. You toss your plow aside and, your head completely empty of thought, begin walking toward the west. Heading toward a land that lies west of the sun. Like someone, possessed, you walk on, day after day, not eating or drinking, until you collapse on the ground and die. That's hysteria siberiana." - Haruki Murakami, South of the Border, West of the Sun Although Russia has long been considered part of Europe, it has always had a culture so distinct and a history so different that it is still foreign to Western Europe in many ways. Naturally, this sense of otherness has lent an aura of intrigue and mystique to Russia as people have struggled to understand it. Over the long course of Russian history, perhaps no aspect of the giant country has generated interest quite like Siberia, the easternmost part of Russia that lies in Asia. Generally speaking, all that is widely known about Siberia is that it is really big and really cold, which, to be fair, are good starting points for a deeper exploration of this fascinating region. The name "Siberia" comes to English from Russian and was originally from the word "Sibir", a fortress of the Tatar people which was located on the Tobol and Irtysh Rivers . However, it referred more generally to the Khanate of Sibir, the land just east of the Urals that served as the gateway to a network of rivers that stretched all the way to the Pacific in the far east. Hence, it eventually gave its name to that entire region. Despite making up nearly 66% of the country, Siberia is only inhabited by 40 million people, making it one of the most sparsely populated places on the planet. Given its brutal climate and the strategic depth offered by the region, it should perhaps come as no surprise that the region is best known today for being the location where political prisoners were sent to the infamous Russian labor camps. Siberia: The History of Russia's Most Notorious Territory and Home of the Soviet Gulags details the history of Siberia over the centuries. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Siberia like never before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes footnotes and a bibliography for further reading "My loving people, we have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit ourself to armed multitudes for fear of treachery; but I assure you, I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people ... I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a King of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any Prince of Europe should dare to invade the borders of my realm." - Queen Elizabeth I On July 12, 1588, the legendary Armada started for the English channel. The Spanish plan was to take this invasion, led by the Duke of Parma, to the coast of southeast England, where they would be released to conquer Elizabethan England for the Spanish monarch and Catholic Christendom. The Armada included over 150 ships, 8,000 sailors and 18,000 soldiers, and it boasted a firepower of 1,500 brass guns and 1,000 iron guns. Just leaving port itself took the entire Armada two days. As everyone who has been taught history now knows, the Armada was one of the most famous military debacles in history. Now whether it was simple mathematical miscalculation or plain bad luck, coupled with English fire ships assailing the Spanish ships, the Armada was decisively defeated. The Armada ultimately found its reluctant way home in awful conditions, having permanently lost over one third of the ships, and on the Irish coast, the Armada had suffered further losses. Not yet knowing what had happened to the Armada, internal English gentry and militias sought to secure and protect England. This is when Elizabeth I consolidated her image as mother-protector of her people; inspecting her troops, long and to this day a regal tradition, at Tilbury on August 8, 1588, Elizabeth adorned herself in honor and rallied her people to fight the Spanish. When the Armada was indeed defeated, Elizabeth was hailed as a great savior of England, one who was willing to risk her own life to protect her children and her kingdom. In actuality, Elizabeth's luck had not been insignificant, but her preparations had also been immaculate, and indeed her pageantry had paid off. The monarch's procession to a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral further solidified public support, and the vanquishing of the Armada became an unbelievably potent propaganda tool to warn away other sovereigns and kingdoms looking at England with desire. Rightly or wrongly, the English people including many of Elizabeth's Catholic subjects who did not relish the idea of Spanish rule interpreted this victory as a manifestation of divine favor and of England's sacrosanct status under its virgin ruler. What was ignored in the middle of the celebrations was that the Anglo-Spanish War did continue and would continue until 1604. In reality, on the facts it seems that this conflict often did favor Spain. After all, the Spanish retained the Netherlands, thus hanging the scepter of possible invasion from that side. The Spanish Armada looks at the ill-fated expedition from its origins to its demise. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Armada like never before, in no time at all.